Photo credit: Nathalie Gatti
By Nathalie Gatti, MAGG
Sabaidee,
Hello again from Laos! The past two months have absolutely flown by. In Vientiane, the dry season has just started, meaning lots of holidays, events, tourists, and an incredibly busy work schedule.
As tourist season ramps up, it is a great reminder to explore Southeast Asia while I’m here. Since arriving in Vientiane, weekends have been spent exploring different cities nearby. Veng Vieng and Luang Prabang are both especially gorgeous, known for their sunset views, Buddhist monuments, and activities like hiking, kayaking, ziplining, motor-gliding, and hot air balloon rides. Udon Thani, just across the Thai border, is a major shopping hub for the folks in Laos. Weekend getaways, although short, have been exciting adventures, and there will be many more to come!
This is a very busy time at UNDP, with ongoing and new projects being developed, progressed, and wrapped up in preparation for the end of the year. While I am working on and contributing to a variety of projects and portfolios, I am particularly excited about working on Youth O’Clock, a project focused on youth agency and empowerment. From now until the end of the year, the Youth O’Clock team is organizing and running workshops that bring local young people together to share their perspectives, engage in open discussion, and explore their ideas on youth-related issues: empowerment, education, culture, digital innovation, and employment. The first of three Youth O’Clock workshops took place in Vientiane, and the remaining two will take place in Luang Prabang and the province of Savannakhet.
The first Youth O’Clock workshop was incredibly insightful. It was inspiring to hear from youth on the specific issues that they are passionate about. The workshop provided a safe space for co-creation, facilitating brainstorming and project development. It was a crash-course on how to identify a problem and address it through community action, social media campaigns, the development of apps, and the like – essentially utilizing the tools already available to them to create youth-led change in their respective communities.
These workshops are not only a fantastic way to hear about the problems, issues, and opportunities that youth in this country are passionate about, it is also an opportunity to meet some incredible folks and hear their stories. Throughout my time here in Laos, the most impactful experiences have been those in which I have had the opportunity to connect with people – whether that be at work, in the field, at tourist attractions, or even just around town.
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to join members of the Inclusive Growth Unit on a field mission around Vientiane to different small businesses, all of which were owned and primarily operated by women. Although my involvement in this mission was minimal, it was incredibly inspiring to meet the women and hear them talk about their experiences. While there is often a language barrier in discussions with locals, their generosity, kindness, and willingness to share is incredibly touching. Being here, I have met so many inspirational people and have had so many moving conversations, I cannot wait to see what the next four months will bring!
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BSIA, its students, faculty, staff, or Board of Directors.